Sugar Snap Pea Infused Vodka

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Sugar snap pea infused vodka is a seasonal infusion that adds a bright and verdant flavour to cocktails. Here’s how to make it.

Sugar snap peas are hardy annual plants with sweet and juicy edible pods that can be eaten raw or cooked. They are easy to grow in an edible garden and have a delicate vegetal flavour that complements citrus, namely lemon and lime, dill, tarragon, anise, mint, basil, horseradish and ginger.

Aside from their culinary uses, they can be infused in white spirits to add a fresh, bright vegetal note to drinks. In this recipe, we’re using vodka but the pods can be infused in other white spirits such as gin, cachaca, pisco, aquavit, blanco tequila as well as fortifieds such as Lillet Blanc, dry vermouth and dry manzanilla sherry.

Sugar Snap Pea Infused Vodka Recipe

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup sugar snap peas, chopped
• 1 cup / 250ml vodka

Equipment: glass jar with a lid, fine strainer, funnel, swing top glass bottle

Method

1. Wash and dry the sugar snap pea pods then roughly chop into 2cm pieces.
2. Combine the chopped pods with vodka in a glass jar and give it a stir to combine.
3. Cover with the lid and place in a dark, cool place away from direct sunlight.
4. Leave to infuse for 2 to 8 hours, tasting as you go. If you prefer a stronger flavour, leave it for 24 hours then taste it again.
5. Once it’s to your liking, strain using a fine strainer or a cheesecloth over a strainer.
6. Funnel the infused vodka into a swing top glass bottle and store in the fridge.

Note: The leftover sugar snap pea pods can be used in cocktails, either shaken or muddled.

How to Use It in Cocktails

Sugar Snap Pea Infused Vodka lends a vegetal note to a Bloody Mary with horseradish or wasabi. It pairs well with citrus forward cocktails and sour style drinks with or without egg white. It can be used in a Vodka and Tonic (or Vodka Sonic), Vodka Highball and Gimlet.